A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of deadbolts, more specifically, a childproof deadbolt that requires an amount of dexterity of the fingers to operate the deadbolt.
B. Discussion of the Prior Art
As a preliminary note, it should be stated that there is an ample amount of prior art that deals with deadbolts. As will be discussed immediately below, no prior art discloses a deadbolt having a thumb turn with push button childproofing means integrated therein.
The Lin Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,199,285) discloses a locking device for an auxiliary lock comprising of a safety button able to be pressed in and a rotating ring to be rotated to actuate the dead lock to be extended for locking the lock. However, the dead lock does not have a typical thumb turn that has push button childproofing means.
The Lai Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,901,590) discloses an interior door lock assembly with a safety device. Again, the door lock assembly does not have a thumb turn with a push button to operate the thumb lock as a childproofing means.
The Van Deudekom Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 3,747,377) discloses a push-button door locking assembly. However, the push-button door locking assembly does not resemble a thumb turn for a dead bolt, nor does it provide a childproofing measure.
The Flora Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 729,151) discloses a doorknob lock that has two buttons that must be pushed to turn the knob. However, the push buttons must be depressed in order for the handle to turn, as opposed to a thumb turn that can freely rotate independent of the deadbolt but also includes an internal gear that operates the deadbolt upon depressing the push buttons.
The Awalt, Jr. Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,455) discloses a deadbolt lock having a U-shaped squeeze operated sliding bolt. However, the sliding bolt does not resemble a deadbolt with a thumb turn having childproofing means therein.
The Ross Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 7,264,285) discloses a dead-bolt lock safety latch for preventing unauthorized unlocking of a dead-bolt lock with a key or lock picking tools. However, the safety latch does not prevent a child from operating a thumb turn of a deadbolt via childproofing means.
The Upchurch Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,498) discloses an interior deadbolt knob fastening apparatus. However, the deadbolt thumb turn fastening apparatus does not use spring-loaded pins that depress to operate a gear in direct rotational movement with the deadbolt, but rather restricts rotational movement of the thumb turn along the exterior of the thumb turn.
The Moser et al. Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,794,768) discloses a push button combination lock type gas cap and actuator employed therein. However, the push button combination lock does not operate a deadbolt or act as a childproofing measure against rotation of a thumb turn by a child.
While the above-described devices fulfill their respective and particular objects and requirements, they do not describe a deadbolt with a child proofing measure integrated into the design of the thumb turn. In this regard, the childproof deadbolt departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art.